Methods of teleconferencing are generally known in the art. Such methods are typically used by businesses to allow a number of people to simultaneously interact through a voice or audio/video connection in order to solve some particular problem.
In order to set up a teleconference connection, each person is typically given a telephone number associated with a conferencing bridge within the telephone network. As each person calls into the conferencing bridge, a processing unit combines the voice information from each caller, normalizes the volume and retransmits the combined and normalized voice signal to each conference participant.
Audio/video conferencing may also be accomplished through the Internet. In this case, an audio/video connection may be foamed between two computers. A camera and microphone is connected to each computer. A conferencing application within the respective computers forms a packet connection between the computers. Once the connection is set up, audio and video from each end may be collected from the cameras and microphones, packetized and sent to the other end under a TCP/IP or streaming format.
While prior art methods are effective, they lack flexibility. Because such methods are intended primarily for voice or for voice and video, they are not able to handle information content that cannot easily be supplied through the camera or microphone.
Where the exchange of other information is needed, then other methods must be used (e.g., e-mail, fax, etc.). Because of the importance of communication a need exists for conferencing methods that are adaptable to the needs of the medical community.